Effect of cooling after welding on microstructure and mechanical properties of 12 pct Cr steel weld metals

The microstructure of three 12 pet cr steel weld metals with different nickel and nitrogen contents was studied in as-welded condition and after postweld heat treatment with and without intercooling. Tensile strength and impact toughness of the weld metals were investigated in different postweld heat treatment conditions. In weld metals heat treated without intercooling, austenite decomposed by a eutectoid reaction that resulted in M23C6 aggregates around retained delta ferrite. Two morphologies of M2N and MN precipitates were found in a low-dislocation alpha-ferrite. It was concluded that these phases were also transformed from austenite. In weld metals heat treated with intercooling, M23C6 precipitates were smaller and more homogeneously distributed. Different MN precipitates were found in the tempered martensite. The fracture mode of the weld metals at room temperature was mainly transgranular cleavage with some fibrous fracture. Intercooling treatment improved Charpy impact toughness of the 12 pet Cr steel weld metals substantially. It was found that the important microstructural factors affecting the impact toughness of the weld metals which were heat treated without intercooling were the sizes of the cu-ferrite grains, nonmetallic inclusions, and M23C6 aggregates. For the weld metals heat treated with intercooling, the factors which affect the toughness of the weld metals were the sizes of martensite packets and nonmetallic inclusions.